2 Samuel 14:4 - Forerunner Commentary

2 Samuel 14:4

2 And Joab sent to ^aTekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, ^band put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.

3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab ^aput the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she ^afell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, ^b“Help, O king!”

5 Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, ^a“Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead.

6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

7 And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him ^afor the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let ^athe iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, ^band the king and his throne be guiltless.”

10 So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit ^athe avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.” And he said, ^b“As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”

13 So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against ^athe people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring ^bhis banished one home again.

Verse Comparison: 2 Samuel 14:4

<< 2 Samuel 14:3

2 Samuel 14:5 >>

American Standard Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

Amplified® Bible
When the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king!

Contemporary English Version
The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, "Your Majesty, please help me!"

Darby English Version
And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Save, O king!

Good News Bible
The woman went to the king, bowed down to the ground in respect, and said, "Help me, Your Majesty!"

King James Version
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

New American Standard Bible
Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, "Help, O king."

New International Version
When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, "Help me, O king!"

New King James Version
And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, "Help, O king."

Revised Standard Version
When the woman of Teko'a came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, "Help, O king."

Young's Literal Translation
And the woman of Tekoah speaketh unto the king, and falleth on her face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith, `Save, O king.'

New English Translation
So the Tekoan woman went¹ to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me,² O king!”

<< 2 Samuel 14:3

2 Samuel 14:5 >>